Estate Law Services and Fees

Estate Planning

My fixed fee estate plans range from $1,100 to over $5,000.

The fee depends on what is appropriate for your individual situation and what you want me to prepare after discussing the pros and cons of your options.  A consultation for a new estate plan is free, and I believe strongly that the client is boss.  I will educate you on the possibilities, and you will direct my actions.

It is sometimes not possible to estimate the time involved for a project, and in that situation, an hourly fee may be appropriate to ensure you don’t pay more than is reasonable.

Estate Administration

Estate administration is the process for dealing with an individual’s assets following his or her passing.  Bills and taxes are paid, then remaining assets are distributed to the heirs.  If the individual had a trust, we will likely implement the terms of the Trust via a Trust Administration.  If the individual had a Will or didn’t have an estate plan, we will likely go through the court process of probate.

Unfortunately, I can rarely offer fixed fees for estate administrations.  It is very difficult to determine how much time will be needed to resolve a matter.

However, I can give you a “ballpark” estimate of the fee once we discuss your situation.  My hourly rate is $325 per hour.  I have been able to complete many straightforward trust administrations for fees under $1,500 and probates for fees under $3,000.  These fees are almost always paid by the estate, rather than my client.